


no other version of me (i would rather be)

by reachingforthestardust



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: it is safe to assume that any peter parker that i write is a bi peter parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-27 18:31:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18744694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reachingforthestardust/pseuds/reachingforthestardust
Summary: MJ knows. Peter is doomed but actually sort of alright with it. Also, he really needs to have a talk with Mr Stark or the women in his life might actually kill him.





	1. Chapter 1

Exactly one week after Homecoming, MJ knocked on Peter’s front door and was let in by a very delighted Aunt May. He glared his betrayal at her that was elegantly ignored with a parent’s air and told MJ she could make herself at home before pointedly disappearing into her room with a wink at Peter. 

MJ, unbothered by the whirlwind that was Peter’s Aunt, plopped herself down beside him where he was staring at her from the couch. “Close your mouth, bug boy,” she snapped and Peter obeyed before realising that he should probably protest that particular title.

“Bug-boy?!” Peter spluttered half-standing before MJ yanked him back onto the couch. 

“Oh yeah I know about your extra-curricular activities,” MJ said as though she wasn’t upending Peter’s world, and was commenting on their latest English assignment.

Peter paled. “You do?” 

MJ gave him a blank look as she reached for the TV remote and switched from the news to the DVD menu. “What are we watching?”

“Huh?” asked Peter intelligently and MJ rolled her eyes before getting up to shove a movie into the DVD player.

“Guess we’re watching La La Land," MJ sighed as she resettled beside Peter. "A true tragedy."

“Aunt May likes it,” said Peter weakly.

“Mm,” said Michelle. “I like to point out the whitewashing and make fun of it. Want to join?” She asked as though she hadn’t just invaded Peter’s house, flipped his world view, and then put a movie on in his apartment.

“Sure,” he managed, “but you know?”

MJ rolled her eyes again, so hard Peter was afraid she’d hurt herself. “Obviously I know,” she said. “You’re spider-man, duh. You’re subtle but Ned is not. And I’m observant.”  


“Right.” Peter said before wisely shutting up. MJ snickered at the look on his face as the movie began playing.

Aunt May decided to poke her head out of her bedroom. “You’re a smart girl, I like you,” she informed MJ who didn’t look surprised at the blatant admission of eavesdropping. To Peter’s surprise, MJ smiled at his Aunt. If anyone else had said that to her, they’d already be missing more than a few metaphorical teeth. “Thanks Mrs Parker,” she said, and Peter was floored to realise she meant it. 

“Someone’s gotta keep bug boy out of trouble.”

To Peter’s chagrin his Aunt burst out laughing. “Bug boy,” she said, “I love it.”

Peter buried his head in his hands. “Spiders are arachnids,” he complained but his heart wasn’t in it as the shock of MJ knowing wore off and relief took its place. There was no one important in his life that he had to keep Spider-Man a secret from now. It was a weight off his shoulders that he’d carried since his uncle had died. MJ just poked his stomach with a slender finger before wincing and he smirked at her before he could stop himself.

“The fuck, are your abs made of steel?” MJ said and Peter snorted as his Aunt cackled, fully emerging into the living room.

“I’m assuming you’re staying for dinner?”

MJ ducked her head. “If it’s not a problem?” Peter almost rolled his eyes. Thankfully, his Aunt did it for him. 

“Of course not,” May dismissed MJ’s concerns. “Ned is coming over for dinner as well. We can have a spider party.” MJ grinned and Peter suddenly saw a glimpse of his future. He was doomed. MJ and his aunt teaming up? He wouldn't live to see senior year.

It'd probably be worth it though. Probably.


	2. Chapter 2

Three weeks after MJ confronted him about being Spider-Man, she cornered Peter again in their shared lunch block. Ned, unfortunately, was at band practice and not available to save him. Pete had to admire MJ’s plotting skills, but also wished she wasn’t currently using them on him.

“So,” she said.

Two could play at that game. “So.”

MJ gave him a look and Peter meekly slumped down in his chair. “Sorry.”

“You should be,” she said. Then, “Ned showed me the video you made in Germany.”

Oh. _Oh_. No wonder MJ was upset. She’d been extremely involved in the whole Accords situation and had come down firmly on the side against them. And Peter, like the idiot he was, hadn’t even asked Mr Stark what he was really fighting for. Which in hindsight had been a dumbass privileged white boy move that he had been regretting from the start. Peter knew better, honestly, but well- he had trusted Mr Stark.

“Wanna explain?” MJ asked, but it wasn’t a question Peter could avoid answering.

The cafeteria was noisy around them and Peter fiddled with the zipper on his jacket as he thought. He knew better than to just say what he thought MJ would want to hear; firstly, she’d smack him for lying, and secondly, she’d smack him again, harder, for daring to guess what she’d think. No way around it, Parker, he told himself. “I have no excuse,” Peter said plainly, and MJ snorted.

“Yeah, no shit.”

“You know me, MJ," Peter sighed. "I even told you before it all happened that I was worried about the 'registration' requirements and what they'd mean for mutants and well, me, I guess but I wasn't thinking about myself then. But. Mr Stark tracked me down and he talked to Aunt May, MJ. He talked to her.”

“And?” MJ pressed. 

“And then he made me go to Germany with him. He said ‘Cap had gone rogue and needed to be brought in.” Peter stopped suddenly and looked at his hands. MJ tapped the table patiently, and he nodded. He was fine, just needed a break before he really talked.

“I didn’t want to go.”

“So why did you?”

Peter shrugged. MJ glared at him. “You were happy in the video.”

Right.

“I had to be excited about it,” said Peter, “otherwise I would’ve cried.”

MJ raised an eyebrow and Peter ducked his head, sighing. “He said he’d tell May,” he explained and finally, _finally_ , he saw the flash of understanding in MJ’s eyes.

“He blackmailed you.”

Peter flinched. When MJ put it like that, it sounded bad. “I wouldn’t say that..”

MJ wasn't here to take prisoners. “Except you would.”

Peter groaned before gently knocking his head on the cafeteria table, before rethinking the hygiene of that and wincing. MJ evidently didn’t need any other reply.

“You knows it’s okay to be angry, right? Angry at him.”

The unspoken threat of what would happen to him if Peter ever mentioned this to anyone went unspoken.

Peter just looked at her and MJ frowned back at him. “Right,” he said, to appease her. As MJ often did, she saw right through him.

“Cut the crap Parker,” MJ said with uncharacteristic kindness that belied her words. "You need to set some boundaries with Mr Stark.”

“Yeah,” Peter said. “But how?”

MJ snorted, and reached into her bag to pull out a book, (Goat Days? Peter wondered). “It’s not my job to to help you figure that out.”

“Oh,” said Peter, leaning back. “Right.”

“Kidding, Parker.” MJ pauses. “Well it’s not my job but I will help a friend.”

Peter flushed. “We’re friends?” he squeaked and MJ lifted her eyes to the ceiling. Peter knew her well though, and didn't miss the smile she was fighting to hide.

"There's more though isn't there." 

Peter liked that it wasn’t a question. It was simply a fact. And MJ wasn’t wrong. “He didn’t help me. He gave me the suit and then it was just radio silence. When he did make contact it was to tell me I had fucked up, like I didn’t already know. And then he took the suit away and I had a ducking building dropped on me because he didn’t listen to me, because I was just some dumb kid that wasn’t good enough!” Peter had to stop for breath and when he met MJ’s gaze he was surprised to see she was smiling at him. “What?”

“Nothing, just nice to see your backbone again.”

“Ha,” said Peter. “And even when I cleaned up his mistake he didn’t take responsibility for it. It was still on me.”

"That's shitty," MJ said, before she put her hand firmly on the table and have Peter a pointed look. “It’s not on you.”

“My brain knows that,” he sighed, “but try telling that to my thoughts.”

“I get that,” said MJ. And Peter, meeting her eyes, knew that she did. She was a black woman that knew her worth, but that didn’t mean she was 100% sure of herself all the time, not with society telling her the opposite. MJ smirked at him. “So, what are you gonna do?”

And that was the question, wasn’t it.


	3. Chapter 3

“Question,” said Peter, sprawled on the ceiling, “is there any point in talking to Tony about how I feel if he hasn’t spoken to me in six weeks?” Ned, who was sprawled on the more usual space of the floor, shrugged. MJ had claimed the bed as soon as she’d arrived at Peter’s but was now regretting it in the Queens summer heat. She was also too stubborn to move. A low groan was the only answer Peter received. He rolled over so he was on his tummy, his face planted on the cool plaster.

“What I mean is, if he hasn’t shown any interest in me lately, should I bother going to the effort of trying to talk to him?” Peter continued, idly tapping his fingers on the ceiling light.

“You're wimping out, Parker,” MJ informed him from her bed throne, but her voice lacked its usual snark. The weather was hot and humid, and the sunlight just seemed to be radiating off all the buildings. Because, Peter reminded himself, it was. So much so that NYC had its own personal warm climate. Gross.

Ned stirred on the floor, and Peter perked up, waiting for some wisdom from his oldest friend. “Where is Thor when you need him?” He asked and Peter deflated. “We could do with a good storm.”  


“God,” said MJ, “take that back. Can you imagine it being this hot but humid?”

All three teens considered it for a second and shuddered in unison. “You’re so right,” Ned said. “Sorry MJ.”

“Seconded,” Peter muttered, wriggling to a different, cooler patch of ceiling.

“Hey I have an idea,” MJ said suddenly. “We’re gonna need some paint.”

“Oh god,” said Peter, “it’s too hot.”

“Exactly my point Parker.”  


0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

When it came to it, Peter would place the blame for this solely on MJ. It was, after all, her idea. His willingness to go through with the plan was irrelevant.

Which is what he was telling himself as Iron Man hovered in front of him, taking in Peter’s multi-million dollar suit that was covered in specks if white paint.

“Kid.”

“Hi Mr Stark!” Peter said brightly. Too brightly. If the Iron Man helmet could frown, Peter was certain it would be.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?”

“It looks like,” Mr Stark paused, “it looks like you are vandalising my roof. My very expensive roof.”

“Oh it’s nothing personal,” Peter said cheerfully. “I hit the Baxter Building this morning.”

“Of course you did. Why?”

“Well,” Peter saïd carefully, eyeing his the iron suit as it took in the bright rooftop, “New York is a heat island.”

“Preaching to the choir kid,” Mr Stark said, and Peter nodded. 

“Well, one of the best ways to reduce ambient heat in urban areas is to paint roofs white to reflect light,” he said brightly. “And as one of the leading corporations in the world, shouldn’t Stark Industries be setting a better example?”

“Oh my god. I am too tired to deal with this.” Mr Stark groaned and Peter beamed at him.

“Just helping out like the friendly neighbourhood spider i am!”

“I’m leaving,” said the suit, and Peter shrugged.

“Not like you’re here anyway,” he said pointedly, and a hundred miles away Tony Stark winced.

“Nuh uh,” he said. “You don’t get to take that tone with the adult.”

“Cool,” said Peter unapologetically. “Anyway. You’re expected for dinner. 7PM Tuesday. Be there or be square.” And then he jumped off the side of the building, leaving behind a gleaming white rooftop and a bewildered iron suit as he swung across the city.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

“Proud of you Parker,” MJ informed Peter when he’d crawled back inside his Queens apartment. May and Ned nodded in agreement. Peter yanked his mask off and sighed.

“Thanks,” he admitted. “I feel so small next to him. I nearly didn’t do it.”

Ned put his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “But you did,” he said, grinning, “now go shower because you stink.”

“Hey!” Peter protested. “I spent all day painting high profile rooftops white just for this slander? So rude.”

His Aunt just snorted and shoved him in the direction of the shower. He of course allowed it. Everyone in the room knew that if he didn’t want to be moved, he wouldn’t be.

Peter had to admit, his family knew him well.


	4. Chapter 4

“You know I love you Peter,” his Aunt said suddenly. They’d been curled up together on the couch watching Predator (Aunt May’s guilty pleasure) and Peter wondered at the sudden admission. He twisted from where his head was resting on her shoulder so he could look her in the eyes.

“Aunt May, the only thing that I never doubt is that you love me,” he said to her seriously, and he’s startled to see tears well up in her eyes. “Please dont cry,” Peter said. panicked and she smacked him lightly on the arm.

“They’re happy tears, I promise,” she said, a little choked, and he is horrified to feel himself start to sniffle himself. He wriggled back to his original position, knowing maintaining eye contact would only make the waterworks worse, and he really does enjoy watching Predator, as dated as it is. It’s not that he’s ashamed of crying, it’s just that Peter had cried a lot recently, when May first found out about his alter ego, and then after MJ had left after revealing she knew as well, and then when Ned told him how scared he’d been on Homecoming night with no one to call for help, and then - well the point was, Peter was quite emotionally aware but ultimately sick of crying. He was so dehydrated.

About ten minutes later, May spoke again. “What I meant is that we don’t have to go through with tomorrow night if you don’t want to.”

Peter nodded his head, thinking about it. The special ops team on screen took out the guerilla encampment. He sighed. “I think I have to though.”

Peter stopped speaking but May didn’t rush him. Just one of the many things he loved about his Aunt.

“He needs to know that I’m not a toy, that I’m not his plaything to be tossed aside when he gets bored. He needs to be serious about this,” Peter finally contained. He felt May rest her head on top of his and smiled.

“You’re so good, Peter,” she whispered into his hair, and he held onto that warm feeling as he watched Arnold take down his much bigger and more technologically advanced opponent. Not quite what he was planning to do to Mr Stark, but a nice coincidence nonetheless. Peter wondered if May had planned it and then snorted mentally at himself. Of course she had.

Arnie was just crawling out of the river when Peter made another decision. “So you know how you’re cool with me being spider-man,” he began suddenly and May groaned.

“If you’re telling me you are also Daredevil, I’m going to need more than wine,” she interrupted and Peter grinned.

“Nah, just wondering if I should change my name from Spider-man to S-Bi-der-man instead.” Peter held his breath.

“Oh my god,” said May in exasperation, “that is how you decided to come out?” And then she pulled Peter closer and kissed his hair.

“Also, no. Go with Spriderman.”

)0o0o0o0o0o0o

 **sbiderman** : i came out to may  
**The Chairman™** : dont leave us hanging  
**M “don’t you dare give me a dumb nickname in your phone” J** : what he said  
_sbiderman has changed his name to spriderman_  
**spriderman** : she made a worse pun  
**M “don’t you dare give me a dumb nickname in your phone” J** : shdhhdjskasiehehsh  
**The Chairman™** : what she said  
**The Chairman™** : proud of you bro  
**spriderman** : :))))


	5. Chapter 5

Peter sat across from Mr Stark, grateful for his Aunt’s presence at the head of the table. The homemade Thai in front of them was delicious, a team effort from May and Peter (mostly May, Peter had just eaten the noodles), recipe courtesy of the cute guy at the restaurant that May still didn't believe had a crush on her. “So,” Mr Stark said, “I’m guessing I wasn’t just summoned for dinner.” Peter nodded but kept eating. Rule number one in the Parker household: Food before business. Mr Stark took the hint and shut up. May smirked, which didn’t go unnoticed by Mr Stark but he wisely didn’t comment.

Only after the food was eaten and the dishes put in the sink did Peter say, “Mr Stark, we need to talk.”

“Oh great,” the man sighed. “I’ve heard that before.”

Peter noticed his Aunt’s frown but shook his head. He still had this. At least, he hoped he did.

“It’s not working-"

“Heard it all before kid,” Mr Stark interrupted but Peter maintained eye contact and he subsided. 

“It’s not working. Our current relationship,” Peter clarified. Mr Stark’s eyes narrowed but he forged on. “You need to listen to me.” 

Mr Stark actually laughed, causing Peter's Aunt to glare at him. Peter steeled himself. “Mr Stark, I’m being serious. It’s not fair that you go from treating me like a prodigal son to radio silence in a flash, it’s not fair that you threatened me so I’d go to Germany, it’s not fair that you didn’t communicate with me and then blamed the ferry all on me when as far as I knew you’d done nothing, and it’s not fair that you hold my suit above my head like a prize. I Am Spider-man, and you can’t take that away from me. I deserve better, and I deserve better from you.” Peter took a deep breath, and ignored the billionaire’s mulish expression. “You need to choose. Either you’re involved in my life or you’re not; And I need to know.”

Mr Stark was silent for a moment and Peter could almost see the thoughts flashing through his mind lightning fast. Then the man stood, heading for the door. “You’ve got a lot of demands, kid.” 

Peter held his ground. “I have the right to.” 

Mr Stark sighed, his hand on the door handle. “Yeah, you do.” Then he swept out, and it was like he’d never been there. Peter looked at his Aunt and she just held her arms out. It may have been childish but Peter automatically crawled into her hold. 

“I did the right thing,” he said. 

May nodded. “You did. It’s up to him now.” 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Two hours later, Peter was woken by an unknown number ringing him. He answered groggily, "Peter here?" 

Mr Stark laughed on the other end of the line. "You don't sound sure of that." 

Peter blinked, then sat bolt upright. "Mr Stark! I wasn't expecting your call." 

"Yeah that's fair," Mr Stark said. "I haven't been the best at talking to you, huh." Peter wasn't sure if the man wanted an answer, so he remained silent. A good call, as Mr Stark continued, "so I'm gonna make it up to you." 

"Huh?" Peter could almost hear Mr Stark rolling his eyes. His bedroom door cracked open and Peter saw his Aunt. He grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up, mouthing 'it's Mr Stark'. She nodded, but her eyes narrowed. It was 11pm after all. 

"Oh god, tell your Aunt to stop glaring, I can feel it from the compound," said Mr Stark and Peter jumped. 

"That's creepy, how did you know that?" He gasped, before flushing brightly. 

Mr Stark snorted. "Put me on speaker spiderkid." He waited until Peter had done so before going on. "So Petey-boy, how about you come over on Mondays for a few hours, and we'll make that Stark Internship real. Every second Saturday as well." 

Peter felt faint. "What?" He asked, voice strangled. Thankfully, his Aunt was there to save him. 

"He'd love that," she informed Mr Stark. "I expect the paperwork by tomorrow night. Backdated, too." 

"Already on it," Mr Stark claimed, although from May's raised eyebrow, Peter knew that she doubted that. He did too. 

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Peter had been hanging off Mr Stark’s every word since he’d arrived at the Stark Industries building at 4PM on the dot. It was almost unnerving the change in the man now that he’d decided to actually make an effort with his involvement in Peter’s life. Well worth the stress, Peter thought privately.

“So I’m gonna let you build your own little robot to keep Dum-E and U company,” Mr Stark explained and Peter nodded excitedly. “I don’t want you to rush it, this should take at least a few months. I did it in one, but I also blew up three labs.” Peter continued nodding and Mr Stark paled. “That is not a challenge, Charlotte,” he said and Peter snorted. 

“Of course not,” he said sweetly. Mr Stark glanced at him suspiciously, but Peter merely smiled. 

“Hmph,” Mr Stark said, or rather grunted. “Get to it then.” 

Peter threw him a sloppy salute, “Sir, yes, sir!” 

“My god what have I done,” Mr Stark muttered under his breath and Peter smirked to himself.

A few hours later, Mr Stark rapped Peter lightly on the shoulder. “By the way kid, what did you do to that paint? It’s not coming off the roof,” he frowned. 

Peter pouted at him. “‘Mr Stark, I wasn’t joking about the impact having a white roof in NYC can have,” he said, and he saw Mr Stark roll his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah I know that, spiderling, I was going to suggest you tweak it a bit and then patent it.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yeah, genius, _oh_.” Mr Stark snorted. “You invented a paint that resists scratches and the weather, and looking at the molecular structure, it won’t even begin to degrade for at least fifty years.” 

Peter blushed. “I mixed regular paint with a modified form of my web fluid polymer,” he explained sheepishly. “I wanted to make a point.” 

“Tell that to Reed Richards when he comes complaining he can’t get the paint off,” Mr Stark said drily and Peter grinned. 

“Oh I asked before I painted his roof. He and Sue were all for it!” 

Mr Stark stared at him, before pinching the bridge of his nose. “Of course you did. And you didn’t ask me because?” 

“I asked Pepper,” Peter said cheerfully. “She’s the CEO after all.”


End file.
